Ballot Question: Democratic vs Democrat

[Roadie]

The thing to remember is that you're always voting for party, not person.

For instance, if you vote for a pro gun Democrat for Congress, you're actually voting for anti gun legislation.

Why? Because with a Democrat majority, they get all the commitees and the Speaker position, and they get to make all the rules, and they can bring anything they want to the floor and get it passed.

Your pro gun Democrat Congressman is still going to vote for Nancy Pelosi for speaker.

Yes, sure, when a gun vote comes up, they'll let your Congressman vote his conscience and vote against as long as they have enough votes. If they really need his vote on a close one that really matters, they'll give him a spot on a committee where he can direct some pork to his District that will get him reelected in spite of his anti gun vote.

If it's really, really bad, they'll secure him an appointment job with a Democrat President or Governor somewhere so after he's tossed out by the voters he still has a job.

So, you might like a Democrat as an individual, but by voting for that individual, you're also voting for Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Shumer in the Senate.

It's the way our system works and your good intentions won't change it one bit.

For the House and Senate this may hold true, but for the plethora of local offices that we vote for it would not hold true.

Putting some thought into these elections beyond what party the person is running under is a good thing. I do not believe that the differences at that level are as black and white based upon the party.

Exactly. I voted for a Democrat for Beech Grove Mayor because the Republicans here have screwed things up so bad I felt the Dem was better for the job.

 

[dross]

I could see voting for a Democrat in certain local elections, depending on their views. I haven't seen too many Democrats I agree with, though. If the position was less to do with party politics and more local issues I might vote for an honest Democrat over a dishonest Republican, or a competent Democrat over an incompetent Republican.

Those factors matter much less in the legislative bodies, however. Party trumps all when you're voting for Congress, State or Federal.

 

[Expat]

Listen to NPR and they will constantly refer to think tanks as "right-leaning" or "Conservative", but never "left-leaning" or "Liberal" - always "Progressive".

They usually refer to the left wing think tanks as mainstream from what I have observed.

 

[Expat]

I could see voting for a Democrat in certain local elections, depending on their views. I haven't seen too many Democrats I agree with, though. If the position was less to do with party politics and more local issues I might vote for an honest Democrat over a dishonest Republican, or a competent Democrat over an incompetent Republican.

Those factors matter much less in the legislative bodies, however. Party trumps all when you're voting for Congress, State or Federal.

Yep, a vote for the Democrat in a Congressional election is a vote for Pelosi as Speaker and to support that agenda.